1. Man struggling to pay medical bills finds a saviour on social media

Ma Gang, 31, needs dialysis three times a week, and to pay for it, he sells handicrafts on the street outside the hospital he is treated at and via a small online store on WeChat.

His web business took off after a passer-by was moved to write about him on microblogging service Weibo: “After seeing so many people that have houses and cars trying to get sympathy by acting poor, I found him honourable and respectful.”

In the 10 days after the post went viral, Ma received more than 4,000 orders, worth about 300,000 yuan (US$44,400).

2. Man risks life to save boy, 4, dangling by his neck from window grilles

The man, Li Jinbin, was awoken by his father and told that a boy had slipped through window grilles outside a second-floor flat in a building across from theirs. “I immediately grabbed my cotton quilt and rushed downstairs in case he might fall down.”

But when Li saw that the boy was beginning to slip through the grille, and fearing the child might choke, he climbed from a nearby window and carefully manoeuvred himself to the sill beneath the child, and lifted him up with his arms.

It’s not just Sun Renzhi’s physical prowess that has impressed his bride Pauline - she also loves his sense of humour, confidence, ambition and the respect he shows her, even though he always forgets to buy her flowers on Valentine’s Day.

For his part, Sun said he finds his wife’s “independence” her most attractive trait - “French girls never ask their partners to carry their handbags for them, which I really appreciate.”

6. Morbidly obese couple loses 200kg between them so they can start a family

Huang Haitao is embarking on the journey with his daughter Xinyi, driving across 52 countries in time for her first day at Seattle University.

They will face numerous hurdles along the way, including navigating language barriers and foreign roads.

But both are full of hope for the journey, with Xinyi saying: “The world is so large. At the same time we are seeing the world, we should also use our own efforts to help the world understand China, giving this trip more meaning.”

12. Mother who refused to give up disabled son nurtures him all the way to Harvard

Her hardship paid off after her son Ding Ding was admitted to the elite Harvard University in the United States.

Ding nearly suffocated during a birth complication in 1988, leaving him with cerebral palsy. But even though doctors suggested giving him up, his mother raised him, working several jobs and taking him to rehabilitation sessions, insisting that he overcome his disabilities as much as possible.

“I didn’t want him to feel ashamed about this physical problems,” she said. “Because he had inferior abilities in many areas, I was quite strict on him to work hard to catch up where he had difficulties.”

13. Commuters pitch in to free woman trapped between subway carriage and platform

16. Teenager’s touching act of honesty led to big reward

Chen Yifan, a high school pupil from Xinmi in northern Henan province, accidentally damaged a luxury car. But instead of running away, he left the owner a note of apology, along with all the money he had on him as compensation.

“Dear uncle, I’m sorry for my mistake and I also feel quite sad about it,” Chen began his letter.

When the car’s owner found the note and the cash, he was deeply touched. Not only did he pay the repair bill himself, but also sent 10,000 yuan in cash to Chen, specifying that the money was to help him in his studies.

18. Homeless man reunited with family after decade on streets

Wang Rong was found loitering in a park in Dongguan, southern Guangdong province, by voluntary workers. While he could not recall his exact home address, he managed to locate his home village using a computer system that connects villages across the nation.

His mother Zhang Huanying immediately took the 15-hour train ride to meet her son.

While he was unable to recognise her face upon meeting, feeling a scar on her hand triggered childhood memories, making him realise that she was his mother.

22. Good Samaritan helps pay cost of street cleaner’s lost wages three hours after appeal

The 70-year-old man had the 3,360 yuan (US$500) in an envelope in his shirt pocket, but found it missing when he returned home.

After an appeal on social media by the owner of a food stall where the cleaner takes breaks, an anonymous man drove up and handed over an envelope with 3,360 yuan in it.

After he left, the cleaner realised the words on the new envelope were not written with the same pen used on the missing envelope - the man had given the cleaner his own money, along with some contributed by social media users.

23. Family cares for faithful old nanny for 42 years

Fu Tianhu has lived with her former employers in Neijiang in Sichuan province since 1974. She had gone to work for Ji Hua’s family in 1958, leaving in 1972 to care for her sick husband.

After her husband’s death a year later, she was left alone with no income. Ji then suggested to her parents that their former nanny live with them.

Fu has become regarded as part of the family, and not just a former employee. She said the family has treated her well: “Without them, it would have been impossible for me to be alive at this age of 98.”